Beads and Other Plastics
by Phantommoose
Summary: Sam and Dean have to work a case. In the middle of Mardi Gras.  Will be chapter fic. Mature for violence and sexual themes. No pairings.


"Dean. Dean could you please focus?" Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose and darted his eyes from the glare of his computer screen, to his brother, and back again.

"I'm focused," the older Winchester claimed around a mouthful of Chow Mein.

Sam rolled his eyes and pushed the silver computer around so that's its screen was visible to his brother. "Three deaths in one week. That's a little severe don't you think?"

Dean shrugged as he turned his fork in quick circles inside the small white take-out box. Sam crinkled his nose as the slimy brown noodles clung to the metal prongs and Dean brought the mound to his mouth. The pink flesh of his lips gleamed with grease as more nutritionally lacking carbs moved past them. Once his mouth was full again he decided to speak, "Serial killer?"

Sam cringed and had to look away. "Maybe, but we should at least check it out right? Not like we have anything else going on."

When he looked up again Dean was shoving another forkful of noodle into his mouth. Sam rolled his eyes. "I guess." Dean agreed but continued eating.

Sam's eyes stayed locked on his brother expectantly.

"Right now?" Sam shot Dean the signature _yeah-right-now_ face and the older man groaned."Damnit, Sammy can't I finish breakfast first?" Sam's fingers tapped impatiently against the table. "Fine! Get your coat."

* * *

><p>"Did I mention I hate this car?" Dean moped as he clutched the steering wheel. "It smells like smoke and feet. And the damn speedometer doesn't even work." His brow furrowed as he tapped the piece of plastic that covered the broken device. "Where the hell are we going anyway?"<p>

"New Orleans, Louisiana." Sam said as he watched the town behind them disappear from his vision.

Dean's eyes grew large with excitement. "The New Orleans?"

Sam looked from the window to his brother in confusion, "Um, yeah?"

"Whoo yeah!" Dean smacked the steering wheel with his palm and gyrated in his seat like an excited child.

Sam's eyebrows met to collaborate on this new development. "What's the big deal Dean? We've been to Louisiana lots of times."

Dean's laughter shook the cheap metal of the rental car, "You're missing the big picture Sammy! It'll take us three days to get to New Orleans. We'll be just in time."

Sam's confusion didn't fade, "Just in time for…" Realization rammed into him like a truck. "Oh no."

* * *

><p>"Welcome to Mardi Gras, Sammy boy!" Dean laughed as they pulled into town.<p>

"Technically Mardi Gras isn't until tomorrow."

"Whatever." Dean waved a hand dismissively. "Even better. Gives us time to look into the murders before we party."

"We didn't come here to party." Sam sighed but he couldn't help but be pleased to see the smile that decorated his brother's face. Dean was constantly stoic lately and when he wasn't he was drinking away sorrow or obsessing over Dick. It was a pleasant change of pace.

"Fuck you Sam. I'll be damned if I'm going in Louisiana during goddamn Mardi Gras and not party. I said we'd check the case first."

"Yeah, okay. Fine." Sam shrugged and realized it didn't sound so bad. They traveled all the time, but it was rare that they ever got to involve themselves with any local culture that didn't involve hunting. "I've always wanted to see the parade," Sam admitted somewhat dreamily as they pulled in to a local hotel. The parking lot was packed which wasn't surprising but definitely served as an inconvenience.

Dean laughed then splice in a "Damn," as he tried to find a parking spot. "You're such a girl Sam. This is Mardi Gras we're talking about here and you want to see the _parade?_ You have fun with that. I'm going to get in on the real culture; babes, booze, and beads."

Sam couldn't help but laugh. "Two major fallacies there Dean…"

Dean snorted. "That sounds remotely dirty."

Sam's eyes narrowed, "The first being that I thought you were swearing off women? And the second being that the three b's are not the culture of Mardi Gras. All the sex and beer is just the media hound stuff. From what I understand that stuff only goes down after dark in, like, one part of town."

Dean pursed his lips, "Well then you can stick around town square with the other twelve year olds and I'll take these elsewhere." He took a hand off the wheel and grabbed the brown paper sack that he'd gotten from their last truck stop.

"What did you buy?"

Nimble fingers opened the crumpled sack and reached in to expose a handful of various plastic necklaces. A cocky grin played across Dean's features.

"You're disgusting."

"Finally! I was getting worried we'd have to sleep in the car." Dean pulled into an empty parking space and let the rumbling engine rest.

"We'll be lucky if there's an empty room."

As it turned out there was one room left with only one bed.

"Not like we haven't had to share before." Sam eyed the bed and set his bag down beside it.

"Don't worry about it. I won't be sleeping much tomorrow night."

"Again, I ask. What happened to 'no hot girls?'"

"Just because I'm not touching doesn't mean I can't look." All Sam could do was shake his head and throw Dean's suit at him.

"Get dressed."

They hit the police station first.

"It's like they were hacked to pieces. But we haven't been able to find fingerprints or any trace of entry. It just doesn't make any sense."

"Told you it's our kind of case." Sam slipped into the passenger's seat with a smirk.

"Great," Dean mumbled under the sickly garble of the engine. "A monster at Mardi Gras."


End file.
